Protective breathing apparatus with regeneration of exhaled air



y 1963 v E. WARNCKE ET AL 3,390,676

' PROTECTIVE BREATHING APPARATUS WITH REGENERATION OF EXHALED AIR FiledApril 25, 1963 s SheetS -Sheet 1v I 29 a i I l r HI g H I I 1 W mvmons aErnst War'nc/(e Hans Haas July 2, 1968 I E. WARNCKE ET AL 3,390,676

7 PROTECTIVE BREATHING APPARATUS WITH REGENERATION OF EXHALED AIR FiledApril 25. 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS fr'nsz Warm/(e Hans Haas w Wwzm July 2. 1968 E. WARNCKE ET AL PROTECTIVE BREATHING APPARATUS WITHREGENERATION OF EXHALED AIR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 25. 1963 IINVENTORS frhsf Warm/(e -Hans Haas A'rronwfzs United States Patent 16Claims. (Cl: 128142.2)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE A breathing apparatus having a breathing bag,gas flask and regenerating container held in a housing, the breathingtube extends through the container. The breathing tube has perforationsin each end communicating with the regenerating container and furtherincludes a check valve in one end thereof to allow exhaled gases toenter the breathing bag. Inhaled gases pass from the breathing bag,through the perforations in said tube to the regener ating container,through the preforations in the other end of said tube to a hoseextending from said tube to a breathing member. This space savingarrangement permits the use of a compact housing.

This invention relates to a breathing apparatus and, in particular, to abreathing apparatus in which the exhaled air is regenerated.

A protective breathing apparatus is known in which breathing bag iscarried folded up in a housing and from which it extends to operatingposition when it is inflated while the apparatus is operating. Thebreathing bag opening is positioned on the underside of the housing.Also, this opening is covered by an easily removable closure such as alid or the like. To simplify the use of the apparatus, the removableclosure is connected with the valve for the compressed gas container sothat the valve is opened when the closure is opened. The carrying meansfor this apparatus is fixed to the portion of the housing facing awayfrom the body of the wearer, and the portion of the housing that facesthe wearer, that is the back wall of the carrier, is removable.Therefore, the back wall of the housing and the closure for thebreathing bag opening comprise a single piece. The back wall is pushedout from the housing and a lever for the operation of the valve for thecompressed gas container is arranged so that this valve is closed untilthe back wall is pushed outwardly to swing the lever and open the valve.In an improved form of the apparatus, a preliminary flushing device isactivated by the opening of the bottle valve in order to fill thebreathing bag. Also, the breathing hose, face mask and mouthpiece arepositioned in the housing so that, when the closure is opened, they willbe readily accessible or preferably fall out automatically.

The object of the invention is to further improve the protectivebreathing apparatus, especially an apparatus having means for theregeneration of the exhaled air. In this device, the exhaled air isdirected through a C0 absorbent material held in a special regeneratingcontainer. The CO is retained by the absorbent material. According tothis invention, this container for the regenerating agent has itslongitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the compressedgas flask, and the crosssectional area of the regenerating container issuch that 3,390,676 Patented July 2, 1968 the combined cross-sectionalarea of the compressed gas flask and the adjacent regenerating containeris substantially in the shape of an oval. This construction achieves anespecially space-saving apparatus, and additional advantages.

The means by which the objects of the invention are obtained aredescribed more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through the apparatus ofthis invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 of a modified form of theapparatus;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 of a further modified form of theinvention;

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 77 of FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 8 is a top plan view of FIGURE 6 partially shown in section.

The protective breathing apparatus, as shown in FIG- URES 1 and 2 iscomposed of a housing H holding a regenerating agent containerpositioned parallel to and extending in the same direction as thecompressed gas flask 2. As seen in FIGURE 2, the container 1 has anapproximately oval cross-section and is so detailed in shape that it,together with flask 2, forms a combined approximately ovalcross-section. One longitudinal side surface 3 of container 1 may beflat or approximately so, or as shown in FIGURE 2 is a concave sidesurface 4 in order to match with flask 2. Container 1 is also shaped sothat, when seen in cross-section, one side 5 is flat or approximatelyso. However, this apparatus can also be constructed so that incross-section both sides 5 and 6 have parallel curvatures to adapt theapparatus to the curve of the body of the wearer.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the container 1 and the flask 2 are bound togetherby a band 2a so as to be insertable as a unit into the housing H. In amodified form of the invention, container 1 is formed integral with thehousing I-I. Thus the container 1 becomes a part of the structuralframework of the apparatus. Also, all the reinforcing members for theapparatus can be fastened directly or indirectly to container 1.Container 1 is composed of any suitable material and advantageously of asynthetic material. A breathing tube 7 has its longitudinal axisextending through container 1, and air exhausted from the lungs in thedirection of arrow 8 passes through an exhalation valve 9 mounted on theend of tube 7 for opening in the direction of the arrow 8. The upper andlower ends of tube 7 communicate with perforations 10 which are providedin funnel-shaped extensions 11 on the ends of the tube. These extensionsare also attached to the upper and lower walls 12 and 13, respectively,of container 1. Lower wall 13 also has a fitting 14 forming an opening15 into the breathing bag 16. Upper wall 12 of container 1 also has aclosa'ble filler opening 17 which extends outwardly of the container sothat the container can be completely filled with absorbent material.Upper wall 12 also has a collar 18 by means of which the mouthpiece isconnected to the container through an accordion hose 20. A breathingmask can replace mouthpiece 19.

3 The lower end of hose 20 is given a bellows-shaped portion 21 forattachment to collar 18. In the modification of FIGURE 3, the lower endof hose 20 is widened in a funnel shape so that it can be drawn overcollar 18.

Upon exhalation, the exhaled air flows through breathing tube 7 andcheck valve 9 into breathing bag 16. However, a portion of the exhaledair passes through perforations 10 adjacent upper wall 12 into theregenerating material in container 1 and is freed of CO Because of theless flow resistance, the main portion of the exhaled air reaches thebreathing bag 16 through tube 7. On inhaling, valve 9 closes and all theair flows out of the breathing bag through the perforations 10 adjacentlower Wall 13 and through the container 1 to hose 20.

Oxygen flask 2 is provided with a pressure reducer 22 screwed directlyto the flask. The flask is filled through a filler tube containing acheck valve. In addition to the reducing valve, there is a shut-offvalve having a lever 23 controlling the release of oxygen from flask 2.This valve is connected by a cord 27 to the lid for housing H so thatwhen the housing is opened the flow of oxygen begins from flask 2.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the housing H is constructed so that the lowerpart 25 forming a part of the cover can be drawn downward. Thus portion25 is telescopically joined to the main body of the housing. Thebreathing bag is continued protected when the portion 25 is drawndownwardly. Also, in this position, it has suflicient space for movementto expand fully. As portion 25 moves downwardly, its upper portionslides on the oval or elliptical structure formed by container 1 andflask 2. A stop, not shown, is provided for holding portion 25 in itspulled out position and preventing it from being pulled out too far.

In the modification of FIGURE 3, housing H has a cover 26 hinged to thebottom of the housing. This cover is also connected by a cord 27 tolever 23 so that the cut-off valve is opened when the cover is swungdownwardly.

In FIGURE 1, the space above container 1 which receives the tube isclosed by a cover 28 by means of a snap-on joint 29. In FIGURE 3, thecover 30 is made just large enough to pull out the hose 20.

The means .for supplying compressed gas for the apparatus may be one ofseveral forms. The apparatus can be provided with a constant measuredgas supply and also with a conventional pre-flushing device. Theapparatus also has a lung-controlled gas supply as shown in the variousfigures. Lung-controlled valve 31 is formed as a unit for the housingfor the pressure reducer. Control lever 32 for valve 31, the latterbeing a tilting valve, extends into the space containing the breathingbag to a point adjacent opening 15 communicating with container 1. Thisopening 15 is made so large that bag 16 when emptied, that is exhaustedof air, is sucked into the opening so that the collapsing walls of thebag carry along tilting lever 32 so that the lung-controlled valve 31 isopened. Lever 32 is preferably somewhat offset from opening 15 so thatit is first engaged preferably by a reinforced wall of the bag.Consequently, the bag produces a sidewise force on the lever for theimmediate opening of the valve. The valve is completely opened by afurther collapse of bag 16. In order that lever 32 can be positivelyengaged and without great resistance by breathing bag 16, the free endof the lever is provided with an enlarged portion 33 such as a ball, adisc or the like. This enlarged portion is offset from the lower opening15 into the container 1.

Breathing bag 16 is made so that it is joined to container 1 by a neck34 pushed over fitting 14. Bag 16 is joined by another fitting 35 suchas a rubber collar or the like onto lung-operated valve 31 or a rimsurrounding the valve.

In the modification of FIGURE 6, the housing H is made in one piece withinternal walls forming a space 40 corresponding to the container 1 forthe regenerating material and an additional space for receiving theflask 2. This form of construction eliminates the need for a separateexternal housing. Space 40 for the regenerating material is enclosedfrom the outside by the walls 41 of the housing H. This form of theinvention is conveniently composed of synthetic material. Exterior walls41 also define the space 42 for receiving breathing bag 16, a space 43for receiving the breathing tube 20, this space being closed by a cover44, and a space 45 for the oxygen flask 2. Space 42 for the breathingbag is closed by a cover 26. Exterior wall 41 also has a reagentmaterial filling opening 46 closed by a cover and which opening formssomewhat of an extension of the container space so that the portion ofthe container through which the exhaled air flows can be positivelyfilled completely with the absorbent chemical material.

Having now described the means by which the objects of the invention areobtained, we claim:

1. A protective breathing device including regeneration of the exhaledair comprising a housing, a breathing bag in said housing, a compressedgas flask held in said housing, a regenerating agent container coupledto said flask and positioned in said housing with its longitudinal axisparallel to the longitudinal axis of said flask, a breathing tubeextending longitudinally through said container, perforations in eachend of said tube providing communication between the interior of saidtube and the interior of said container, said breathing bag being influid communication with said flask, container and said tube, and acheck valve in said tube opening in the direction of exhalation.

2. A device as in claim 1, said check valve being positioned at one endof said tube between said perforations and the imperforate body of saidtube.

3. A device as in claim 2, including a flange on the end of said tubeadjacent said check valve and attached to said bag for providingcommunication between said tube and said bag.

4. A device as in claim 3', further comprising a connecting piece on theend of said tube opposite said check valve, a breathing hose joined tosaid connecting piece, and a breathing member secured to said hose.

5. A device as in claim 4, said hose having a widened funnel-shaped endsecured to said connecting piece.

6. A device as in claim 4, said hose having a widened bellows shaped endsecured to said connecting piece.

7. A device as in claim 4, said container and said housing having commonexterior walls defining the container space.

8. A device as in claim 7, said housing being composed of a syntheticmaterial.

9. A device as in claim 4, said container being removably insertablewithin said housing adjacent said flask.

10. A device as in claim 4, said container being spaced from one end ofsaid housing for providing a space to receive said breathing hose andbreathing member, and a removable cover on said housing for providingaccess to said space.

11. A device as in claim 4, further comprising closure means for movinga portion of said housing to permit expansion of said breathing bag.

12. A device as in claim 11, further comprising a valve fitted to saidcompressed gas flask, and coupling means between said closure means andsaid valve for actuating said valve upon movement of said closure means.

13. A device as in claim 12, further comprising gas pressure reducingmeans connected between said flask and said valve, and a breathing bagactuated valve joined to said gas pressure reducing means.

14. A device as in claim 13, further comprising an actuating leverextending from said breathing bag actuated valve into contact with saidbreathing bag.

15. A device as in claim 14, further comprising a knob on the free endof said lever.

16. A device as in claim 15, said breathing bag actuated valve beingjoined to said breathing bag by a stub pipe joined to said valve andconnected to a corresponding socket fitting secured to said bag.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 10 RICHARD A.GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

Great Britain. Great Britain. Germany. Great Britain. Germany. Germany.Germany.

K. L. HOWEIJL, Assistant Examiner.

